1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel process for disposing of sewage and for recovering potable water therefrom. This process is particularly adapted for supplying water to areas where supply thereof is limited and where the water contains average or greater than average amounts of dissolved minerals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art to which this invention relates already is aware, inter alia, of coassigned U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,063 issued Mar. 7, 1966. The process described therein involves extracting water from salt water or brine by means of a hot hydrocarbon liquid characterized by its ability to extract more water from brine at a higher than at a lower temperature. The hot concentrated rejected brine containing as much as 10-20% salt is discharged and not used further in the process.
Coassigned patent application Ser. No. 304,160, filed Nov. 6, 1972 discloses a process for disposing of aqueous sewage and for producing fresh water by coking sewage in the liquid phase to form gases, coke and an effluent which is extracted with a hot liquid hydrocarbon to form a hydrocarbon-water solution and a concentrated brine. Cooling of the hydrocarbon-water solution results in the formation of distinct hydrocarbon and water phases which can be separated by gravity.